Denial
by Mechanical Prince
Summary: Peter doesn't know why Neal is acting so weirdly all of a sudden. Elizabeth does, and it's hardly sudden. Soft OT3.
1. Chapter 1 - Not-So-Innocent

**Spoilers: Barely. General plot of season 2.**

 **xxx**

Two front-row baseball tickets greeted Peter when he stepped into his office that morning. Not a moment later, a certain, grinning criminal informant joined him.

"Morning, Agent Burke." Those striking blue eyes were trained sharply to Peter.

"Neal... what are these?" He held up the two tickets.

"Well, they appear to be baseball tickets. But I'm sure you knew that."

"Don't tell me you got these on the black market," Peter frowned. "Or forged them."

Neal feigned shock. "Please, Peter, you think so lowly of me! If I was going to forge something it would be a Rembrandt, not a couple of baseball passes."

"Is that an admission of guilt?"

Neal grinned and shrugged. Peter wasn't convinced. He folded his arms and raised an eyebrow to complete his signature "you're-not-fooling-me" look.

"Neal, if this is a bribe, it's not going to work."

"Who said this was a bribe?"

Peter pressed his lips together.

Neal raised his hands defensively, grin never leaving his face. "What? I just think a hard-working agent like you deserves a break once in a while."

"Something's up."

For a split second, Neal's grin wavered. He quickly regained composure.

"Something's up with _you_ if you pass on those tickets." He teased.

"I'm serious, Caffrey. Whatever is going on, I'm going to find out about it. I always do. I already caught you-"

"Twice, yes, you've mentioned it a few times."

The corner of Peter's lip twitched upwards, amused at his CI's annoyance.

Neal leaned forward onto Peter's desk, a hair too close.

"Why don't you sleep on it? See if Elizabeth wants to go." He spoke softly, as if he were sharing a secret.

Peter gulped.

"Sure." He hoped agreeing would get Neal out of his face.

It worked. "Great!" Neal jumped back up again, his smile on full-blast. "Do you need me to get you anything? Coffee?"

"No thanks, you'd probably poison me with it or something." Peter snorted.

"I wouldn't dream of it."

"Alright, shoo. I'll let you know what our next case is later." Peter returned to the paperwork on his desk. Minutes passed, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched... he looked up to find Neal leaning against the door frame just... staring at him. His eyes roamed Peter's face and build but quickly snapped to attention once he was caught.

"What are you still doing here? Go on!"

Neal scampered out the door and to his desk without another word.


	2. Chapter 2 - Elizabeth Burke On the Case

Peter unlocked the door to his home and greeted Satchmo as he slipped off his shoes.

"I'm home!" He called into the empty space.

"Welcome home, honey! I'm in the kitchen. There's a roast in the oven if you want to pull it out."

Peter sat down at the counter, too lost in thought to reply.

"What's up, hun? You have your thinking face on."

"El, Neal's been acting strange lately."

She laughed. "Lately?"

"Huh?" He looked puzzled.

"Oh, come on, Peter. ...It's obvious he has a crush on you."

The statement hit Peter like a ton of bricks.

Planning to escape his anklet, he could understand. Jewel smuggling? Fine. He and Haversham scamming the entire city of New York out of its valuables? Definitely plausible. But this? This wasn't even the _last_ thing he'd expected to hear - it had simply never crossed his mind.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes as she watched her husband's gears turn.

"Really, hun. Do you mean to tell me that my husband, an FBI Agent who chased the elusive ex-con Neal Caffrey for 3 years, caught him twice, and then formed a close partnership with him solving cases together, generally spending all day, every day together since then hasn't been able to discern a simple crush? I'm not sure this is the man I married." She grinned.

Peter was dumbstruck, to say the least.

"...How long have you known?"

"Long enough. It makes sense, hun. Who wouldn't fall in love with someone so kind, responsible, trustworthy, strong, reliable and sensitive?" Elizabeth wrapped her arms around Peter's neck. "I'd be surprised if he _didn't_ have a crush on you!"

This was absurd.

"Besides," She turned to open the cupboard and pulled out a big bag of dog food. "I think it's cute."

"But... what about _us_? You're not worried at all?"

She chuckled, kneeling over the food bowl to pour Satchmo's kibble. "Please, Neal's not a homewrecker. And we both know you're not going to leave your amazing wife, dog, and job at the FBI to follow a blue-eyed tempter and known criminal halfway across the Earth," She joked, returning the dog food to its place as Satchmo dashed over.

Ok, so that was true, but...

"But maybe you could get _him_ to stay."

Peter's eyebrows shot up.

"Hun, I know you better than you do. You may not realize it, but you like him too."

"Wha-!" That was a sure blind spot if he'd had one. "And if I did... that wouldn't bother you?!"

Elizabeth smiled sympathetically. "Of course not. It's a good choice. You two bring out the best in each other," She paused.

"Minus the whole music box thing... and Alex... oh, and who can forget about Kate-"

"Ok, I got it!"

She laughed. Peter looked at her, his face tinged with worry.

"El, you know I love you."

"Oh, sweetie, yes! I just happen to know that you love him too." She gave him a Neal Caffrey-esque grin before kissing him on the cheek.

"And... well, I like him too!" She called before disappearing upstairs.

Peter was left frozen in the kitchen with Satchmo as company (and a homemade roast). Only one thought rang clear in his mind.

 _I have to see him._


End file.
